A two-day Counter-Piracy Conference organised by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and DP World ended here today with a Final Declaration agreeing a number of points that had been debated by the 800-plus high-level delegates, Deatrade-asia reports.
Concerned by the 'grave threat' posed by the recent escalation of piracy, participants recognised the important role played by the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia - where some 20 member states provide an international armada of naval vessels to patrol the area - and asked all countries to 'fully endorse, support and fund its initiatives.
They further asked all states to 'favourably consider the prosecution of suspected, and imprisonment of convicted, pirates' (as consistent with international human rights law and relevant UNSCR Resolutions).
States in the region were urged to extend whatever logistical support possible to the military response effort, which was judged to have reduced the success rate of pirate attacks and therefore 'must be continuously and vigorously pursued'. The 'effective tracking and disrupting of illicit financial flows' by the international community was also recommended.
In an important recognition of the importance of land-based solutions, the Conference also saw the pledging of over $5m to a Trust Fund to Support Initiatives of States to Counter Piracy off the Coast of Somalia, designed to support the provision of co-ordinated training and other resources to improve land-based security capacity and livelihoods in Somalia, to deter and prevent piracy.
Furthermore, the international community was called upon to 'pursue a comprehensive strategy of support to Somalia, which prioritises assisting the Federal Aouthority, the regional authorities of Galmudug, Puntland and Somaliland, in improving security conditions and establishing a system of governance and rule of law.' This in recognition that 'no durable eradication' of maritime piracy is possible without addressing the underlying causes.
The UN was also asked to convene a conference on the 'inhumane conditions' under which seafarer hostages are being held, and it was deemed 'critical' that ship operators heed all anti-piracy guidance from the IMO and follow the industry-developed Best Management Practices.
Finally, there was endorsement of regional anti-piracy collaborative efforts such as the Djibouti Code of Conduct, and the idea of a regional Coast Guard was mooted.
The maritime industry as represented at the conference issued a statement welcoming the efforts of all concerned, and further proposing:
- an increased military presence in waters of the region;
- its shadowing of motherships and engagement with the same in the event of attacks being mounted;
- that the current military control centre co-ordinates between different naval vessels and informs shipping in real-time of potential pirate controlled vessels; and
- that all shipowners/operators submit information on piracy attacks on their ships to the control centre in a timely fashion.
Concerned by the 'grave threat' posed by the recent escalation of piracy, participants recognised the important role played by the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia - where some 20 member states provide an international armada of naval vessels to patrol the area - and asked all countries to 'fully endorse, support and fund its initiatives.
They further asked all states to 'favourably consider the prosecution of suspected, and imprisonment of convicted, pirates' (as consistent with international human rights law and relevant UNSCR Resolutions).
States in the region were urged to extend whatever logistical support possible to the military response effort, which was judged to have reduced the success rate of pirate attacks and therefore 'must be continuously and vigorously pursued'. The 'effective tracking and disrupting of illicit financial flows' by the international community was also recommended.
In an important recognition of the importance of land-based solutions, the Conference also saw the pledging of over $5m to a Trust Fund to Support Initiatives of States to Counter Piracy off the Coast of Somalia, designed to support the provision of co-ordinated training and other resources to improve land-based security capacity and livelihoods in Somalia, to deter and prevent piracy.
Furthermore, the international community was called upon to 'pursue a comprehensive strategy of support to Somalia, which prioritises assisting the Federal Aouthority, the regional authorities of Galmudug, Puntland and Somaliland, in improving security conditions and establishing a system of governance and rule of law.' This in recognition that 'no durable eradication' of maritime piracy is possible without addressing the underlying causes.
The UN was also asked to convene a conference on the 'inhumane conditions' under which seafarer hostages are being held, and it was deemed 'critical' that ship operators heed all anti-piracy guidance from the IMO and follow the industry-developed Best Management Practices.
Finally, there was endorsement of regional anti-piracy collaborative efforts such as the Djibouti Code of Conduct, and the idea of a regional Coast Guard was mooted.
The maritime industry as represented at the conference issued a statement welcoming the efforts of all concerned, and further proposing:
- an increased military presence in waters of the region;
- its shadowing of motherships and engagement with the same in the event of attacks being mounted;
- that the current military control centre co-ordinates between different naval vessels and informs shipping in real-time of potential pirate controlled vessels; and
- that all shipowners/operators submit information on piracy attacks on their ships to the control centre in a timely fashion.